Not Quite as Free
by Cush
Summary: Cavern, a gorilla at a local zoo, is growing to enormous size and the staff and a few scientists want Ann Darrow to come and look at him to test his behavior and his physical strengh, and so on and so forth.
1. Chapter 1

_Not Quite as Free_

A King Kong fanfic

**Summary:** A fanfic based on King Kong. Cavern, a gorilla at a local zoo, is growing to enormous size and the staff and a few scientists want Ann Darrow to come and look at him to test his behavior and his physical strengh, and so on and so forth. The trouble is that this all takes place too soon after the Empire State building for Ann's sanity, and she refuses to look at the young gorilla. Jack being the only one that understands her situation, Ann is pressured like no other to look at Cavern, but she continues to refuse. Meanwhile Cavern is growing more dangerous by the day, and he becomes more of a threat each second. Ann is the only one that can suggest that he be taken back to Skull Island, where he can grow safely away from all of the harm that may come to him in the city. Will Ann be able to control her emotion and set Cavern free, or will she sum up the courage too late for him?

**Disclaimer:** I do no own anything related to _King Kong_!

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Chapter One

Ann Darrow lightly bit the top of her pen as she thought of what to write. How could she politely decline something such as this? She was the only one that really understood…

Well, that wasn't necessarily true. What about Carl Denham? The bastard that had imprisoned Kong? He would know more than she would… and he would most likely be there as well.

Oh, how she hated him! Keeping such a wonderful creature captive like that, in chains made of steel and showing him off for money! The nerve of that idiotic, narcissistic, egotistic murderer!

Ann pushed a strand of curly blond hair out of her visuals as she realized that her knuckles were red with the firmness of her grip on the pen. A hole was neatly slit into the center of paper that she was going to use for her refusal letter… well, _that_ was in the trash now, wasn't it?

"Having a bit of trouble there, Ann?"

The slender woman looked up to see Jack Driscoll standing in the door to her – no, _his_ – study. He wore a friendly smile as his arms crossed across his chest, the sleeves of his white collared shirt rolled up for a casual yet sophisticated look.

"Um… perhaps. What, is there something wrong with that?"

Ann raised an eyebrow as she dropped her pen, taking a break from her… writing. She stood from the desk and walked towards him, her head tilted.

"Well?"

Jack slumped a bit more against the doorframe as she walked towards him. "I was just wondering what was going on in _my _study, Miss Darrow. No, I have no problem with you having a bit of trouble, as long as I'm not involved in whatever you're working on. In that case, then I'll have to take over."

"Oh don't worry, you're not involved. Well… you _could _be… but I'm not going to be." Ann glanced back at the blank, single piece of paper that sat on the desk.

Jack paused for a moment, looking concernedly at her. "Is something bothering you?" He asked as he looked to the desk, then into her icy blue eyes. Noticing a little newspaper sitting on the end table that stood next to the doorframe, he read the headline:

**KONG MAY HAVE A RELATIVE, SCIENTISTS SAY**

Ann noticed Jack's glance at the paper. "That," she said glumly. She looked to the floor for a moment before tilting her head to look up at him, her eyes meeting his. "I can't do it, Jack..."

Jack nodded in understanding. "No one expects you to," he said as he took her hand in his, pausing for a moment before pulling her into a hug. "We all understand." He said, looking down at her.

Ann said nothing, simply resting her head on his chest as tears welled in her eyes. It was too soon after the incident in which Kong had died... and fell off the top of the Empire State Building. She couldn't deal with another one... not now.

Jack held her tightly as he gazed at the top of her head. "What do you say about a little lunch?"

Ann nodded. She looked up at him, gazing into his green eyes that gave her such comfort. "Sure," she said with a weak smile. "I just need to get ready..." She pushed away and walked down the hall to Jack's room, where Ann's clothes were stashed in a drawer in his dresser. After all, she didn't have much, having struggled with cash at her past job.

Jack smiled and watched her walk down the hall, then turned to look at his study. He picked up the newspaper, holding it in his hands for a moment as he skimmed the article... something about a young gorilla at a local zoo named Cavern that was still growing and coming to enormous size... and then allowed the paper to fall from his fingers into the trash can that was neatly placed under the end table. Looking up for a moment, a poster for _Cry Havoc_ arrived into his vision.

He had forgotten completely about that play... ever since Ann had moved in with him. He had written it about her, after all, and had basically put himself down in the script. He hadn't seen the show since the night that Kong escaped from the theatre and into the streets of New York.

With a sigh, he turned from the poster and walked towards the desk, leaving the blank paper on the surface as he reached over, pulling the chain of the lamp, which had been left on. With that, he walked out of the room, looking once more at the poster, before closing the door.

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****Notes:** Yeah, I know.. this was kind of boring. The main idea is that the zoo has asked everyone that knows the typical behavior of Kong - which is Carl Denham and Ann Darrow - to come in and look at the new gorilla that they suspect is related to Kong in some way. Jack may get a request later... but anyways... next chapter coming soon. 


	2. Chapter 2

_Not Quite as Free_

A King Kong fanfic

**Summary:** Ann Darrow is still upset enough over King Kong's death to hear that the ape might not be completely extinct at all. She doesn't believe it at first, but Cavern the gorilla may have the same traits as Kong.

**Disclaimer:** I do no own anything related to _King Kong_!

**Chapter 2**

Carl Denham sat in a leather armchair in his apartment, which was located on the outskirts of New York City. The curtains were drawn, leaving the only source of light in the room to be the reading lamp on the table next to him. In his hands was a thick packet labeled "Behaviors and habits of Cavern the Gorilla". With a sigh, he looked around the apartment.

"That damn beast," he said to himself, "will _never_ leave me alone, dead or alive." A bitter tone flowed easily into his words as he said this with himself.

Ann hated him. It was obvious. He never saw Jack anymore, and the pretty blonde hadn't even looked at him since her rescue. Did she even _think_ of it as a rescue? Didn't she understand what danger she would've been in if they hadn't gone back for her? What a choice they had made on the ship that night! One person had already died on that island and to go back for one girl was obsurd - especially since she was then off-limits because she had gone into the bathroom with Jack -

With a sigh, Carl flushed his mind of his angry thoughts and stood, walking to the curtains and pulling them open, allowing the afternoon sun to guide itself through the window and across the carpet of the small apartment. Still in his bathrobe, Carl had locked himself into his apartment for about a week now, as he had made some profit by displaying Kong to New York City and was living off it... and for now was able to pretend that he wasn't there when someone would knock at his door, just in case it was someone who expected him to pay for the damage the beast had done to the theatre and the Empire State Building. It was one of the most peaceful weeks in his life, and he wasn't about to give it up to go determine if some gorilla at a zoo was spawn of the king of Skull Island.

Folding his arms, he gazed out the window at the people walking in various directions down below. Sometimes, after all, this was much more amusing than it seemed.

That is, until he saw a flash of blonde hair among the crowd. Then it wasn't amusing anymore. It was more on the addictive level. Ann Darrow, ten floors beneath him! He could catch that woman and give her a bit of sense for ignoring him. After all, it wasn't just Jack that had rescued her from Kong.

However... it looked as if Jack would once again rescue Miss Darrow, for he walked right beside her, more blended in with his normal features - at least from a bird's eye view. He had an arm around her shoulder as he led her... _somewhere_.

_I've got to get down there_, Carl thought to himself as he hurried to the bedroom, throwing on random clothes. This was the first time he may be able to catch Jack in public and finally figure out whose side he was on.

* * *

"Ann?" Jack asked, a quizzical look across his face as he squeezed her shoulder. She looked a bit spaced out as he led her through the crowd of buisnessmen on lunch hour.

"What? Oh... sorry." Ann replied quietly as she looked up at him with a weak smile. Eyeing the door of the apartment building to her left as she passed it, not wanting to see a certain _someone _that she knew perfectly well lived there, her heart jumped with surprise as her hopes betrayed her. Stumbling out of the elevator was none other than Carl Denham. He made eye contact with her immediately as he automatically glanced out the glass door, before looking up to Jack. He took a few steps towards the door, before making a pathetic attempt to make it look like he had simply come down to chat with the receptionist, who looked at him with a bewildered expression.

Glancing up at Jack, she noticed that he was beginning to follow his gaze. What if he wanted to talk to Carl just as the murderer seemed to want to talk to Jack? Ann couldn't risk it. The sly dog Denham would brainwash the only person that she trusted, and _that_ wouldn't do, now, would it? She needed a distraction... and fast. Looking down at the sidewalk, she shoved the toe of her high heel sandal into the next crack and allowed herself to fall forwards, trusting Jack to catch her before she hit the pavement, as he did. What a good boy he was.

With a chuckle, Jack pulled Ann close to her with one arm as she continued to walk. "Might want to lift your feet instead of shuffling."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"We turn here," Jack said, pointing across the street to the diner. "Do you want to sit outside or inside?"

"Inside."

"You made that decision quick. Did you develop a sudden allergy to the sun?"

"Funny, Jack."

"That's what I was aiming for."

Opening the door to the small restaurant, Jack waited for Ann to enter before following after her.

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**Notes: **Yeah... so I'm going to do the scene in the restaurant next chapter, because it's going to be complicated. If I get a couple reviews, then I'll keep going with that... just like last chapter, though I only got 2. Is anybody reading this at all? 


	3. Chapter 3

_Not Quite as Free_

A King Kong fanfic

**Summary:** Ann Darrow is still upset enough over King Kong's death to hear that the ape might not be completely extinct at all. She doesn't believe it at first, but Cavern the gorilla may have the same traits as Kong.

**Disclaimer:** I do no own anything related to _King Kong_!

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**Chapter 3**

Ann sat at the small wooden table inside the tiny restaurant, blue eyes glimmering as she gazed at Jack over her coffee cup. He wore a smile as he stirred his own coffee blankly with the spoon, as if the cream wasn't properly combined with the coffee and he needed to fix it.

"So..." Jack said awkwardly, letting his spoon slip from his fingers as he noticed Ann glance out the window... for the seventh time. He followed her gaze this time, seeing no one, and then looked back at her, puzzled. "Are you sure you're alright?" He asked as he reached across the table and gently took her hand in his, for once again she looked... distracted.

"Ann?"

"Oh!"

"Are you alright...?"

"Yes," Ann said with a smile. "I am perfectly fine." She said this as she looked straight into his eyes reassuringly.

"You look like you're expecting someone."

"Why would I expect someone?"

"I'm not sure..." Jack leaned back in his seat, letting his hand slide off of hers and drag across the table. Ann watched it as if she were a cat eyeing a mouse that was attempting to escape. She followed it with her own hand, this time placing her hand on top of his.

"Jack, I don't _know_ anyone besides you. I'm... sorry if I'm worrying you."

Jack flashed a smile as he shifted a bit in his seat. "As long as you're not hiding anything."

"I have nothing to hide."

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Carl froze as Ann looked straight at him. "Uhhhh..." He said awkwardly, turning to the first person he saw - the receptionist, and leaning on the counter, he opened his mouth to speak. 

"Hello..." His eyes flashed to her name tag as he spoke. "Darla. Long time no see."

"I'm sorry, sir?" Darla wore a confused look as she tilted her head.

"It's me! Carl? Carl D- ummm.. Dudley. Carl Dudley?" Carl didn't feel like spreading his name around here, as the receptionist looked very confused and startled and just might call the authorities stating that she was being harassed by an insane man.

"Carl...?"

"Yeah. Carl. Dudley."

"I don't think I..."

"You know, from the... thing...?"

Darla bit her lip and looked down at the counter, seemingly attempting to remember where in the world she could have known him from. Carl took this time to look back out the window.

"Well... it was nice talking to you." He pushed off the counter and hurried out the door, walking slowly towards the intersection, following a few people across the street towards the diner.

* * *

Ann sighed as she relaxed a bit, convinced that Carl Denham wouldn't be barging in the door. At least not today. 

"Ann?" Jack asked. Ann felt his hand tense as he spoke. She looked over at him to see him looking down at the table, the fingers of his other hand drumming at the surface.

"Hmmm?"

"W-"

Ann cried in surprise as the waitress next to her bumped her hip into Ann's arm, causing her cup of coffee to spill across her shirt and skirt. "Mmmm..." Ann mumbled, her lips pursed as she closed her eyes. Ah, the burn!

"Oh, ma'am, I'm so sorry!" The waitress nearly screamed as she grabbed a few napkins, her face red as a cherry, as she dabbed a bit at Ann's lap before handing the napkins over to her.

"It's alright. No, really," she added, as the waitress looked unconvinced and looked almost as if she were about to begin hyperventilating. Turning to Jack, who looked positively startled, she smiled sheepishly and stood. "I'll be right back," she said quietly, before walking towards the back of the diner, where the restrooms were located.

Jack gave the waitress a reassuring smile before she left, leaving him alone at the table. "Ugh..." He groaned, resting his head in his hands. Great luck, that was. Right when he was about to -

"Hello, Jack."

Jack nearly jumped, looking up to see the speaker, who was helping himself to Ann's chair.

_"Carl?"_

"Nice to see you too," Carl said sarcastically. "Wow, is this seat warm."

"That's because you're sitting in coffee. What are you here for?"

"What a _great _way to greet your friend, Jack. Did you say coffee?"

"Yes. Don't tell me how to greet you, Denham. You know perfectly well how much you screwed the last couple of months up."

"I didn't screw anything up. My, you're as bitter as your coffee looks. Now, about the last couple of months..."

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Notes:** Well... this chapter was beginning to get long, so I'm going to have Ann go visit Cavern in the next chapter, as he _is _what this story revolves around. Anyways... do you think you know what Jack was going to say to Ann? Heh. (Just by the way, to everyone who gets e-mails saying that I put a new chapter here, I'm sorry about the fact that you're probably getting two e-mails per chapter. I happen to have a habit of adding them before editing, so I have to delete them and start over again.) 


	4. Chapter 4

_Not Quite as Free_

A King Kong fanfic

**Summary:** Ann Darrow is still upset enough over King Kong's death to hear that the ape might not be completely extinct at all. She doesn't believe it at first, but Cavern the gorilla may have the same traits as Kong.

**Disclaimer:** I do no own anything related to _King Kong_!

**Chapter 4**

"What _about _the last couple of months, Carl?" Jack looked a bit irritated as he eyed Carl across the table. He lifted his hands as he spoke, pulsing towards the table in frustration. Something dangling just below the fingernail caught Carl's eye.

Carl lost his train of thought. What _was_ that, glittering in the sunlight through the window? His fingers curled and gripped around the edge of the table as he looked closer. "Jack." He said, in somewhat disbelief. "Is that a _ring?_"

Jack paused, looking to his finger for a moment. He had been clutching it in his hand while he was talking to Ann, and had forgotten that it was there. "What do you _think _it is, Carl?" He asked, annoyed. "Of course it's a ring."

"For who!"

"What do you mean, for who? Did you think _I _was wearing it or something?"

"Don't take me for an idiot, Jack."

"Too late."

Carl folded his arms and leaned back in the coffee stained chair. Thoughts swam through his head as he gazed at the glittery diamond on the ring, obviously for Ann. The one that hated him... though Jack seemed to already, so what was the point anyways?

* * *

Ann sighed as she dabbed at the spot of coffee on her shirt. What was Jack going to say before? He seemed very nervous...

Accepting the fact that the color was _not _going to dissapear from her shirt, Ann tossed the ball of paper towel into the trash bin and pushed the door open. Pushing past a few people that had steadily scooted backwards and blocked off the path that strung between Ann and her table, she nearly tripped a few times as a few people - mainly old, overweight bald men - refused to make room. What was new?

Brushing a bit of blond hair behind her ear, Ann stood up straight and found Jack at their table. Struggling to get towards him, she once again began to slip to and fro between different chairs.

Wait...

Ann looked up once more. Something wasn't right.

There was someone in her seat. Whoever it was, their back was turned to her. Jack looked up at her just then, a startled look in his eye as he stared, almost apologetically. The man in her seat turned to look.

Carl Denham.

Ann stopped in her tracks and stared right back at Carl.

_No..._

Ann looked up at Jack for a moment, but he made no move to motion to her or explain anything in any way.

_I've got to get out of here._

With a swift movement, Ann turned towards the door and began to head towards it.

* * *

Jack had seen Ann look at him. _Do something, you blithering idiot, _his mind yelled, but he felt petrified and helpless as he felt her confusion rubbing all over him. It wasn't until she turned away and began to walk towards the door that he jumped into action.

"Ann!" He said, loud enough so that she could hear him but not hysterically yelling. No one seemed to turn and look at him - not even Ann. He suddenly felt invisible as he stood and began to follow after her. Ann seemed to pick up her pace and squeezed out the last set of tables and pushed open the door in a hurry.

"Jack -" Carl began, but Jack pushed past him as if he wasn't there. "Well, it was nice talking to you," Carl said, annoyed, as he watched the other walk out the door, as the other customers hadn't gotten the chance to push out of their tables again.

_What did she do to him? _Carl wondered as he sighed and stood as well - it wasn't like _he _was going to pay the bill, and also exited the shop. Jack was standing on the sidewalk, looking to his left and right. Ann had already dissapeared in the crowd.

* * *

"So this is Cavern?"

"Yes, Miss Darrow." The zoo employee turned to her with a friendly smile. "We're very glad that you chose to come and look at him," he said happily. Ann didn't quite like the fact that she felt him watching her intensely.

"Uh..."

"Can I get you anything?"

"No thank you... could you... leave the room...?"

The employee hesitated for a moment before shrugging. "Of course," he said, and with that he was gone as quickly as he responded to everything she had said.

Cavern _did _look rather large, with the same faint patch of silver on his back as Kong. The gorilla was sitting lazily inside his indoor exhibit for scientific studies, lazily chewing on a stalk of bamboo.

"Hi Cavern..." Ann said quietly, leaning forward a bit with a kind smile on her face.

Cavern's eyes shifted to look at her, but he did nothing more.

"My, you _do _look a lot like him..."

Cavern's eyes flickered to the woman behind the glass. With an inaudible sound on Ann's side, he stood, looking curiously at the figure.

"I probably don't look very much like a zoo employee..." Ann said thoughtfully, looking down at her clothes.

Cavern once again made some sort of a sound, then sat back down, losing his interest in the other presence in the room.

A tear glittered faintly in Ann's eye as she watched the gorilla. This was why she had asked the employee to leave the room. "I knew this would happen..." She whispered quietly to herself as she turned away from Cavern.

_They can't be related. Kong was at Skull Island... and now he's gone. Kong... is gone._


End file.
